Bury Town sign sought-after Taylor Parr and long-term target Mikey Davis from new divisional rivals Cambridge City
Cole Skuse believes his Bury Town promotion-chasing squad may already be complete after landing a couple of Cambridge City talents that includes ‘one of the most sought-after players in the area’.
As exclusively revealed in today’s Bury Free Press, Versatile 30-year-old defender Taylor Parr and left-sided defender or midfielder Mikey Davis, 24, are the Blues’ first signings of the summer.
And they could well be the last as the Ram Meadow club gears up for a shot at the Pitching In Isthmian League North Division title, following their play-off semi-final heartache in 2023/24.
Bury boss Skuse revealed Parr, predominately a powerful centre-half who captained Royston Town at Step 3 ahead of dropping down a division to spend the last two campaigns with the Lilywhites, turned down higher-league interest to sign for them.
“We've brought in someone who has arguably been one of the most sought-after players in the area this summer, Taylor Parr,” he said.
"He's someone my phone's been inundated with people telling me to please speak to him and try and make sure you get him in as he'll be an unbelievable one for your group. He's had numerous clubs chasing him.
"We're very fortunate in the sense that he already knows a couple of the personnel at Bury already.
"We've given an insight into what we want to achieve and it aligns with what he wants out of it.
"So for him to be coming to join the club is a huge, huge coup for the football club."
Of the qualities he will bring, he said: "He can play anywhere across the backline.
"Without pigeon-holing him as an old-fashioned centre-back, he likes the engagement of the contact.
"He's a real good character, he's vocal. He's a domineering character which will be brilliant for us with our group."
Davis, meanwhile, who is a former Grimsby Town scholar who has had three spells with City as well as half a season at his hometown club Haverhill Rovers, is someone he revealed they had tried to sign a year ago.
“A really, really talented player,” he said. “He's really technical, very forward-thinking and a real natural left-sider.
"He's someone we spoke to last season. For whatever reason it didn't work out but we knew full well that he would be one we'd be trying to go after this summer. He's a really good signing."
The pair’s arrival from a Cambridge City side who will be in their division this season, following a lateral transfer having just avoided relegation from the Northern Premier League Midlands Division on goal difference, comes as Olie Yun departs to move back up to a higher level.
Skuse said of the versatile defender or midfielder signed from Dereham Town last summer: “He’s been incredible and we knew there would be interest in him and we wish him nothing but the best and thank him.”
It comes as Bury have revealed the rest of last season’s squad, bar young striker Louis Arnold who will return to Cornard United but be dual registered enabling him to play for both, have agreed to stay on which Skuse is delighted with.
The retained players announced in the past week are: midfielder Ryan Horne, goalkeeper Charlie Beckwith, wide player or forward Tom Thulborn, midfielder Ethan Mayhew, young striker Ben Curtis, long-serving midfielder Ryan Jolland, attacking midfielder Ollie Canfer and central midfielder Louis Henman-Mason. It takes the total to 16 (see below), excluding the dual-regsitered Arnold.
Asking if there could be any more additions ahead of the league restarting in August, he said: “You can never say never in terms of looking to potentially add, but I’m really, really happy with what we had last season, what we’ve retained and the couple that we’ve signed.
“We’re in a really, really good spot.”
Bury’s first of bi-weekly pre-season training sessions starts tomorrow at Culford School.
Bury Town retained (16): Beckwith, Brown, Canfer, Curry, Curtis, Carroll, Henman-Mason, Horne, Jolland, Maughn, Mayhew, O’Malley, Ramadan, Thulborn, Upson, White.
